[Season 9 Episodes Talk]

Depending on the status of Jeanne and Matthew's contract negotiations, we very well could get a cliffhanger that puts them both in danger. If the finale is JJ centric my poor remote is getting thrown across the room in anger. 

And maybe it's because I am just extra sensitive to too much JJ these days, but I felt she wasn't that believable as empathetic. I wonder what Breen was really trying to get at with that scene. Why not pair Alex with Reid, or even Rossi? I mean, it's not like Alex and JJ have a long history of touching scenes. Sure Alex realized that JJ lost her sister to suicide last season, but I never got any sense of warmth or friendship between the two. So why pair them out for one of Alex's more emotional scenes when she really did need comfort? Is it both of them have had close brushes with death from immersion in water? If that was the case, you certainly didn't get that impression by watching that scene, because there was no hint that JJ was even thinking that. 

[Criminal Minds Trivia Game]

All right, I see I have no takers for my trivia question. So here is another one.

What is the book Reid bonds with Cory (the unsub) over in "The Popular Kids?"

 

Answer to my trivia question:

The yearbook year was 1987 and it was Hotch's junior year of high school. 

[Criminal Minds Trivia Game]

Considering that Hotch has been listed as having two different ages on the show, it's hard to know how old he really is. I remember this particular bit of trivia, because I was trying to work out Hotch's timeline based on the canon facts we have heard about him. That is when I realized there is NO way he could have done all the things he's been attributed to over the years.

But, no...not 1985. :)

[Criminal Minds Trivia Game]

Season Five, "Risky Business."

 

My turn then.

 

What was the year of the yearbook Hotch and Haley were going through in "The Fisher King, part one?" 

[Season 9 Episodes Talk]

As for those complaining about West Virginia stereotypes, where would they have preferred this episode be set? Every place has its stereotypes. Georgia, especially the backwoods, is associated with the creepy man rapists from Deliverance. Florida is considered a hotbed of crazy fuckery. So much so that you just have to say "Florida" and people will give you knowing nods. 

[Season 9 Episodes Talk]

I like my Criminal Minds episodes weird and freaky and ones that remind me of a horror movie. I would have to say that delivered on that idea. I can certainly see why Matthew was so excited about directing this episode, because he likes his episodes dark, creepy and off the wall. I guess CBS finally greenlit Breen's idea, because he had mentioned in the past this idea was something CBS balked at, and both Matthew and Breen alluded to wanting to do something very out there for Criminal Minds and hoped that CBS would go along with it.

This was definitely a different sort of storytelling, and the profiling was much more fluid than we  have seen in episodes past. There was no BAU briefing the local law enforcement on a profile. Instead the profile constantly evolved as they got more information. It was interesting to see the team explore different ideas. This episode blended both very gothic horror (remniscent of X Files "Home") and a more straight forward family feud. I will admit that the main plot point is something I first imagined once I heard about this episode, but the way it was employed left me guessing. It was interesting to see the team work through the very thick mess that was both families' histories. I liked that the show subverted the expectation by not having the families cooking meth, but rather very profitable biofuel. I think the variety of guest stars were put to good use, and the unsub was deeply creepy, both in look, but also manner.

I thought Matthew did a very good job directing this episode. I like the visual choices he made, and to me, they felt different than his previous directorial efforts. He brought his trademark visual creepy quirkiness to this episode, but it didn't feel derivative of other visual choices in previous episodes. Matthew is very capable of creating new worlds, and this time he did it different times over. The flashbacks were different than present day, which were different than the unsub scenes. The flashback scenes looked like an old timey horror movie, and the unsub scenes were definitely gothic horror to me. And to complete the horror movie trope, we now have another unsub that survived its encounter with the BAU. I doubt he will turn up again, but it is still a shudder-inducing to realize he is out there in the world. I can only imagine what he would do next.

For the most part (which I address below), I thought the team was well represented in this episode. Yeah, there was a lot of guest stars, but I didn't feel it was that out of balance like we have seen in other episodes. Hotch was definitely the team leader in this case, and to me, he felt like the more competent, leader Hotch of seasons past. Alex had plenty to do in this episode, and Penelope was helpful, on point and professional. I do like the character when she is toned down into an actual person.

Some of the things I didn't like really came down to Breen's storytelling choices. The main one was the very weird and distinctive lack of Reid in this episode. It felt very glaring. I don't think you can chalk it up to the fact that Matthew was directing this episode. Reid has been very prominent in some of the other episodes he's directed. Hell, Reid even got to deliver a baby in his previous directorial effort. So it was very bizarre to see Reid disappear for long stretches of the episode. He very pointedly did not go on the raid with the rest of the team and was left back at the station. Why I wonder? And I personally would have preferred the last scene between Alex and JJ to be between Alex and Reid. I love the Alex and Reid friendship, and I love it when Reid gets a chance to show his gentle, empathetic side. We've seen it more than once with regards to JJ, but I wanted to see him shower Alex with mother hen goodness. Not only would it have been nice to see, it would have made sense since they really are close to each other. I will say that what little we did see of Reid was very nice, but there just wasn't enough of him.

No, it wasn't a traditional Criminal Minds episodes. But when I like the story, I will go along with it. And since I do like it when they veer off into these horror movie worlds, I was pleased with this episode.

[Spencer Reid: Gorgeous Gray Matter]

For me Reid's best hair is season six and the start of season seven. Without a doubt, no competition, I consider his worst hair to be the atrocious mess that was season five, pre boyband hair. I didn't start watching the show until halfway through season five, and didn't find Reid/Matthew physically attractive until he cut it.

[Season 9 Episodes Talk]

Attention all Matthew fans. This is either a massive boon we've been wanting for years, or it's the best and cruelest April Fools Day joke ever. :) :) :) 

matthew gray gubler ‏@GUBLERNATION  17m
hey cinema lovers, tomorrow i'm doing a live video chat about the 7th CM episode I just directed called Blood Relations. send ?s to #AskMGG

[Elle Greenaway: There's Nothing She'd Rather Do Than Put the Bastards Away]

Well, if Elle had stuck around, we never would have had Emily. Now in a perfect world, we could have had Emily and Elle, but alas, it wasn't meant to be. I don't think Elle would have ever been friendly with JJ and Penelope. She didn't really have anything in common with them, and they were definitely clashing personalities. 

[Jason Gideon: They Don't Call Them Nervous Breakdowns Anymore]

I always felt that Gideon was the most naturally gifted profiler on the show. He could get into the heads of unsubs and victims, but that was because he felt everything all the time. He had no ability to compartamentalize, which ultimately was his undoing. He melted down, because he couldn't separate his professional and his personal life. Gideon was probably the one who recruited Reid (we have never gotten a clear answer on Reid's path to the BAU), and he was the one who helped developed Reid's intellectual gifts the best in the first couple seasons. But like I mentioned in the Hotch thread, I think Hotch was ultimately a better mentor for Reid, because he was more emotionally stable. Sure we saw the affection Gideon had for Reid, but also on more than one occasion, we saw him shunting Reid aside or treating his questions like an annoyance, because they got in the way of his thinking. And he treated the entire team that way. At heart Gideon was very good at what he did, but he was also rather narcissistic in thinking that those around him should bend to him and his will. 

Gideon was a compelling character to watch, but he would have been hell to work for and with. I think the show thrived after Mandy left, because it really did allow for more team development. Just look at the DVD covers for the first two seasons, and you can see that all the actors were behind Mandy and his picture was the biggest, and that is perfect picture for how the show was. Once he left, it became a more equal cast, and it developed in interesting ways. 

[Criminal Minds Analysis: Profile The Show]

With the exception of Compulsion, I am not a fan of any of the arsonist episodes. They just don't do it for me for some reason. It's probably because I don't find the crime of arson to be very fascinating, though the motive for Compulsion was so different that I liked it. 

I agree that there were so many good episodes in season four that it was hard to narrow down just three. Of course generally speaking, I can say that about all of the first four seasons. Those are the seasons I tend to rewatch the most when I am in the mood for a Criminal Minds marathon. There are some episodes in the later seasons I adore and I rewatch compulsively, but there just aren't as many of them as earlier seasons. 

Even though I adore Reid above all other characters, there are a couple of his episodes that don't rank among my favorites. There is a lot I like in Revelations, but it isn't objectively one of my favorites, and I don't rewatch it that often. The same with Memoriam, though I think there is a lot LESS to like in that one. There are a few standout scenes, like Reid with his mother, but for the most part, it's kind of uncomfortable to watch. I also don't hate Amplification by any means, but I don't rewatch that episode as often as I do other season four episodes, probably because the subject matter isn't exceptionally interesting for me on a serial crime drama. But, that episode does have a very touching scene when he is recording his last message to his mother (and also another good example of Penelope quietly supporting him and not making it about herself), and one of my favorite Reid lines of all time (I'm about to get naked, so they can scrub me down. Are you sure that's something you want to see?"). That line ranks up there with "I never have any normal fans." 

I agree about Profiler, Profiled, and I will rewatch that episode only to watch the physics magic scene (helpfully at the beginning of the episode), and then the scene where Reid and Emily are at Morgan's mom's house. I have the same opinion about Catching Out. I despise the actual unsub story, but I like all the other personal scenes in that episode, and those scenes are the only reason I rewatch that episode. 

I love Lucky for many reasons. That was probably one of the few times an episode has genuinely shocked me. I honestly didn't see the revelation coming until right before it happened, and I was shocked the show went there, but it definitely added to the horror of the crimes. And all without a lot of gore, which is why I like the earlier seasons. They insinuated more than they showed, and that is way more disturbing than having your face shoved in it. I also thought that the exchanges between Morgan and Penelope were rather honest, and she actually articulated the same opinion I had about Morgan all along (and still do). I'll be honest and say that the main reason I love the episode Penelope is because of Reid (also the main reason I love Seven Seconds, though the surprise unsub was also a bonus). I know, it's doesn't make much sense, but Reid has some of the best, most empathetic and gentlest facial expressions in this episode. Whether he is reeling from the shock of Penelope getting shot, or seeing her the next morning, or talking through the cognitive interview with her, my eyes are always fixed on him during this episode. Penelope is just the side attraction for me, but the Penelope/Morgan friendship did feel very authentic and real. And Rossi was still new enough on the team he could be a bit of a dick, but it was for the greater good. Also nice, empathetic, understanding Hotch-just the way I like him. And this episode was a great PSA to be instantly suspicious of douchey hot guys who hit on you out of nowhere. No good can come from that. :) :) :) :) :) 

For that same reason as I liked Lucky, I like The Big Game. It also had some genuinely shocking moments (the dogs), the personal scene felt natural and real (the bar scene at the beginning) and while the gore was a little more obvious (not surprising if you are trying to reel in the post Super Bowl audience), it wasn't overwhelming. Add in a genuinely twisted unsub, and a surprise ending (even if that ending lead to Revelations), and that episode gets me all juiced up. It's also why I like No Way Out, though it just barely missed the cut. When you only have three to choose from, some of my favorites are consistently left off the lists. 

[Criminal Minds Analysis: Profile The Show]

Missmycat, I had pretty much the same delayed anger reaction to the killing of Maeve. I was all right with it at first (though I was NEVER happy about it, even though I thought she would die). But I gave it a pass, because that episode actually made feel something, which isn't easy to do. Plus I figured it would tie very heavily into the Replicator plotline, because Breen initially said that Reid would be featured very strongly in the season finale. So I was hoping her death would serve a larger purpose than just giving Breen fodder to write Reid after he lost. I tend to think that the writers had a different idea for the season finale, but decided to take it in a Blake-centric direction, at which the Replicator storyline fell apart in the psychological profiling. It was only after season eight ended and I had a chance to reflect on it, that I started to feel angry about that storyline. The story wasn't for any greater purpose except to make Reid suffer. And in my opinion, it was the worst trauma this show has inflicted on any of the main characters (yes, I think it was worse than murdering Haley). I mean, Reid is the most socially isolated person on that team, and he is the one person who has never experienced mutual love (that we know of, and since there are no prior relationships mentioned in canon (because I don't think Lila ever called him again, and I wouldn't have wanted her to, since I didn't like the idea of the two of them together), I tend to think he has no experience with love or relationships), and he literally watched his future get her head blown out in front of him while he was impotent to stop it. And ultimately, there was no reason to do so. The writers chose to do that just because, and I would rather they had never introduced Maeve than to end it the way they did. 

[Jennifer Jareau: Pennsylvania Petite]

And if that is the case, I can't figure out why Jim would have even put that into the episode (I guess to show what Hotch would do for his family, though he wasn't willing to leave a voice message or text Haley, so he did draw the line). We know Hotch has a very strong sense of duty. If security protocols are supposed to be put into place for a reason, what is the point if everyone who is supposed to be enforcing them just going to violate them? If it is supposed to be all right (or the subtext of both episodes, encouraged) for Hotch and JJ to call their families to warn them, why is it that no one else can know? Why is actually a right thing that Emily held her tongue when she wanted to say something ("Don't 'Emily' me), but we are supposed to think it is a good thing if Hotch and JJ are given a free pass to call? Yeah, I get that it's the eternal conflict between adhering to your duty and wanting to protect the persons you care about, but I think it would have been a bolder statement if Hotch had stood fast and told Morgan that it would be a breach of protocol. These are more just musings about what the episodes' writers were getting at with their writing choices, because I wasn't overly bothered by either Hotch or JJ's actions in these episodes.

[Criminal Minds Analysis: Profile The Show]

I can do three best and three worst per season. Or at least my favorite and least favorite. :)

Season 1 Best:

Extreme Aggressor, LDSK, The Fisher King, part 1

Season 1 Worst:

Secrets and Lies, Machismo, Blood Hungry

Season 2 Best:

Sex, Birth and Death, The Aftermath, The Big Game

Season 2 Worst:

Honor Among Thieves (has anyone ever ran into anyone who has liked this episode?), Ashes to Dust, Fear and Loathing

Season 3 Best:

Lucky, Seven Seconds, Penelope

Season 3 Worst:

The Crossing, A Higher Power, In Heat

Season 4 Best:

Minimal Loss, To Hell...And Back (I'm cheating and combining both episodes into one), Zoe's Reprise

Season 4 Worst:

Brother in Arms, Normal, Demonology

Season 5 Best

The Uncanny Valley, Risky Business, Haunted

Season 5 Worst:

Retaliation, Parasite, The Fight

Season 6 Best:

Compromising Positions, Middle Man, Out of the Light

Season 6 Worst:

Supply and Demand, The Thirteenth Step, 25 to Life

Season 7 Best:

True Genius, Unknown Subject, Heathridge Manor

Season 7 Worst:

The Bittersweet Science, A Thin Line, Snake Eyes

Season 8 Best:

Zugzwang, The Lesson, All that Remains

Season 8 Worst:

The Wheels on the Bus, The Brothers Hotchner, Pay it Forward

[Jennifer Jareau: Pennsylvania Petite]

Watching the scene in "Lessons Learned" I always wondered if Hotch made a legitimate attempt to contact Haley or if he did it just to placate Morgan, just because it happened so fast. Maybe the scene was paced like that for timing, but in reality it would take a bit longer for him to realize he was unable to reach her. Hotch was clearly scared for Haley, but he also had a very strong sense of duty and doing what was right for the job. Morgan had a very definite idea of what Hotch should do which was to violate security, but Hotch was much more conflicted, and I don't think he would have even attempted to make a call if Morgan hadn't encouraged him. 

[Jennifer Jareau: Pennsylvania Petite]

Hmmm... JJ scenes I like.  In no particular order:

1. JJ telling the story about the woods to Reid and Morgan in "Boogeyman". She really had them going and then just basically snorted in their faces with derision. Though looking back at earlier episodes under the new "JJ was always an ice queen masked as empathetic" lens, that scene would really fit with that persona. 

2. JJ calmly and confidently shooting Jason Clark Battle in the head. Through a glass door no less.

3. She was pretty good in almost all of North Mammon, but her conversation with Hotch at the end was good at providing some insight into how she viewed her job.

4. JJ was pretty good in Seven Seconds talking to the mom. 

5. JJ was very effective in Revelations. 

6. Probably the episode that deliberately highlighted her competence the most, was Catching Out. It is funny to compare how her job was viewed then and how that job is viewed now.

The problem I have is there are plenty of JJ scenes, but I like them for the other people in them more.

1. Reid and JJ having the baby kick conversation in Catching Out.

2. Reid playing mother hen to JJ after she got her ass kicked in Closing Time.

3. Hotch talking to JJ about her feeling uneasy about the case in Birthright. 

4. Reid and JJ's conversation about how she was a mean girl in Painless, a conversation and that is funny and telling in light of some of the current opinion about the character.

5. Reid acting all protective when she was spit on in Doubt. 

[Penelope Garcia: Manic Pixie Baby Girl]

Spinner33, I have to agree that it did feel like a group shaming event. I mean, there was definite pressure on Reid to forgive JJ immediately, like he wasn't really entitled to feel what he did. Emily's plea in particular felt like cheap manipulation, and completely wrong to boot. She tried to make the argument that she lost six friends, and he only lost one, but she never thought her six friends were dead and grieved for them. He took Emily's death so hard, from the get go, that it was completely understandable why he felt as angry as he did. It was just a shortcut for completely closing the door on that particular chapter and quickly ending all negative feeling. Looking back now with perspective, that pasta party scene definitely was a harbinger of things to come in terms of personal moments. It was the start of Erica's reign as showrunner and how she saw the show differently than Ed did and was going to manage it differently. It was the start of feel good, cloying moments that doesn't fit the emotional tone of the surrounding episode. It was the start of on the nose dialogue about how they are a family and having it shoved in our faces. It was the start of a new kind of personal scene that was dramatically different than earlier seasons. It was the start of a tone change for the episodes. 

[Penelope Garcia: Manic Pixie Baby Girl]

Here are some examples of why I think the current writers can be irritating or silly.

1. They highlight stupid fanservice things, like the excessive amounts of time Morgan is pictured shirtless. And then they push such extraneous crap as to why we should watch an episode. That whole B story in "Snake Eyes" was the definition of silly. The infantilization of some of the characters (e.g. Reid, Penelope) where they have regressed from mature, professional individuals to be more comic relief. 

2. Those cloying family setpieces that grate my teeth to no end. Examples of worst offenders: the dinner party scene at the end of Proof, the dinner party scene at the end of Bully, the bar scene at the end of 200. I know there are more out there, but I seem to be blocking them from my memory. 

3. The personal scenes have nothing to do with the story at hand, and are just there for whatever reason. Examples of worst offenders are the horrible Caroline arc in season seven, the B story in "The Road Home", Penelope acting liked it was some revelation when Morgan said you have to be direct with men, that horrible meet cute Valentine's Day double date at the end of "Mr. and Mrs. Anderson", the fact that more time seemed to be spent on Penelope's ukele date at the end of "The Gathering" rather than having a good heart to heart talk between Hotch and Reid about Maeve. I wasn't particularly a fan of the whole subplot in "Magnificent Light" when Morgan had to give a speech, but that was mainly because I was angry at Penelope's complete disrespect for personal boundaries yet again. In earlier episodes, those personal scenes were often my favorite part of an episode, but they just felt more authentic, like real people interacting. Plus most of those scenes took place at work, which is completely understandable for a workplace drama. 

4. Their Morgan and Penelope dialogue has been covered at length

5. There has been ample talk about how the unsub is shown to a ridiculous amount and we actually have to praise an episode that chooses to hide the unsub until the end. That used to be the expectation. Now it is the exception it seems. 

6. The fact that most of the writers even admit to not knowing much about profiling, which after working on a show about profiling for a few years, just shows how uninterested they are in focusing on the psychological profiling, which is supposed to be the entire reason for the show's existence. 

[Jennifer Jareau: Pennsylvania Petite]

Considering the big ta da they made over the season seven finale and making it JJ/Will centric, and then with 200, I think I would scream bloody murder if they gave her another centric episode by killing off Will and then having to deal with her subsequent grief. And since I am REALLY over JJ, I would probably stop watching the show if they ever made the mistake of pairing JJ and Reid up. But as silly as the new writers are, I don't think any of them are stupid or desperate enough to pair any of the main characters up with each other. 

[Jennifer Jareau: Pennsylvania Petite]

Well I tend to agree, if only because the only reason Will is still present on the show is because they decided to write in AJ's real life pregnancy, and he was the only plausible person for a reverse-engineered baby daddy. But they certainly never wrote them as a great love story, because JJ was reluctant from day one to commit to that relationship. So I have no emotional investment in the JJ/Will relationship, but since they are now married, I can't imagine the writers going through the long, soap opera process of uncoupling them. 

[Elle Greenaway: There's Nothing She'd Rather Do Than Put the Bastards Away]

I really liked watching Elle with Reid, because she always came across like his big sister to him. She showed him no nonsense tough love, but she truly appreciated his gifts and what he brought to the team. Since most of my favorite Elle scenes are with Reid, I'll start with them. 

1. Compulsion- Elle is talking through the typical social profile of an arsonist, and Reid slowly starts to realize she could be describing him. Then she realizes it and quickly tacks on the "and he's a total psychopath of course."

2. Derailed- All of the Reid/Elle scenes in that episode, from them on a train together (she showed that she could improvise a bit quicker when she got the ball rolling about the microchip, but once he his mind was prompted, he took it over the finish line), to especially their last scene of that episode. Elle got a bit of insight into Reid that episode.

3. Plain Sight- Reid and Elle's conversation in the police station as they were waiting for the unsub to call. She showed that she might not understand him, but she realizes how valuable he is. Then she gives him a bit of sweet, realistic advice about why he never gets a date. She didn't look down on him or turn him into a joke, but just gently point out that if he wants a date, he needs to ask someone out. 

4. PS 911- Reid and Elle's conversation in the hallway when she returned to work. 

5. Aftermath- And my favorite Reid/Elle scenes of all time were this episode. He was the ONLY one who seemed to key in on the fact that Elle was struggling emotionally after being shot. He offered to walk her back to the car to get her glasses, because he seemed to realize that being alone in a dark parking garage scared her. Their conversation in her hotel room was masterful, and was the one time we really got some insight into her PTSD. 

Away from Reid, Elle interacted well with Hotch, Gideon and Morgan. Unlike Emily, Elle never became really friendly with JJ and Penelope. I'm not sure how much of that was a product of just the writing, or a product of the fact that Paget, AJ and Kirsten are friends in real life. Elle was one of the boys, and she strived to prove herself in the BAU boys club.  But it was good, and realistic to see Elle struggle to balance her love of the job, and a her desire for a personal life. While it was written the way it was in Aftermath and Boogymen, because Lola wanted off the show, but we also saw it in "Unfinished Business" when she was upset about being called in on a weekend, and she was wondering how she could have a real life while working in the BAU. That is something that is highly realistic, and it was good to see it being addressed on the show. Elle was tough when she needed to be, but she also showed compassion for victims, particular victims of sex crimes. That was when specialties were employed, and we really saw that Elle was an expert in sex crimes. It was a good and important niche in the BAU. 

[Jennifer Jareau: Pennsylvania Petite]

Morgan was the one who told JJ that he thought Reid had a girlfriend in the thrift store, but it was JJ who was the one who blurted it out to everyone in the elevator. There was no real reason for her to do that, except to garner a laugh from the audience. Which is what I can assume the writers were going for, but it didn't really show JJ in a good light in my opinion.  Reid had never confided in her about that, and it wasn't her place to reveal it to everyone. Alex kept his secret for weeks and never revealed to anyone what she knew, but JJ couldn't contain herself to share what she knew. And I always interpreted her tone to be one of disbelief. Since I sometimes interpret things to be against JJ, I can easily buy her being shocked that Reid had gotten over his crush on her after she probably politely rejected him seven years prior, had a baby with another man and married that man, and that just makes her seem even a bit bitchier if that was supposed to be the case. It would go to my opinion that JJ doesn't really view Reid as a man with romantic/sexual needs

[David Rossi: He KNOWS Things]

I think Rossi is a great counterweight to Gideon, since he replaced him. I mean Gideon was probably the best natural profiler on the team. He was intuitive and was able to get inside the heads of both victims and unsubs. However, that intuitiveness did not come with any sort of emotional shield. He felt EVERYTHING, and in the end, couldn't contain it anymore.

Now Rossi is also a BAU veteran and helped form the team with Gideon. But he has a constitution that is better suited for doing this job over the long haul. He can compartamentalize like nobody else. I can only think of once or twice when he left emotion affect his work. Otherwise he knows it is just a job and he can do it without getting emotionally involved. And he can help others the same. His scene with Hotch in "Omnivore" when Hotch showed one of his few emotional scenes was masterful. He got Hotch back on track by reminding him what their job was. Rossi is interesting, because he can completely focused on work while he's on the job, but he leaves it behind once the job is done. It's a skill that is critically important in a job like this.

I haven't liked some of the Rossi B stories in recent years. His arc with Caroline was cruel and pointless, only there to give Joe some scenery to chew. And the stories with veterans make me a bit uncomfortable in how they are presented, just because it almost feels like emotional manipulation, plus the fact that they have nearly dominated the two episodes they were featured. I liked Rossi a bit more when he first came on the show, because he wasn't afraid to mix it up with the team members, even when he was slowly warming up to them.  

[Jennifer Jareau: Pennsylvania Petite]

I do have to agree that JJ's ability to convey warmth seems to have gone away in recent years. She goes through the motions of appearing empathetic, but it doesn't seem to be real. And I honestly wonder if that is not the writing, but rather AJ's performance. I mean, Reid is not written to be exceptionally empathetic, and yet he comes across as being so compassionate and kind and gentle, and that is because of what Matthew brings to his performance, and his ability to convey a wealth of emotions through just his eyes. JJ would absolutely be more interesting if she was intentionally written to have an icy core and an inability to relate to persons, but she had to mask that due to the nature of her job. 

I agree that Reid had a crush on JJ in earlier seasons. Of course it was kind of hard to deny, since he asked her out on a date. But I never once got the impression she had any romantic or sexual interest in Reid. He doesn't seem to be her type at all. She seems to go for the more stereotypical masculine man, and would not see Reid as a sexual person. Remember how she reacted when she found out he had a girlfriend. She reacted with disbelief, and almost as a joke. Or at least that is how I interpreted her tone when she blurted out in the elevator (violating his privacy and turning his personal life into something of a punchline) that Reid had a girlfriend at the end of "The Lesson." She has affection for him, sure, but it always came across to me like more of a LITTLE brother, and not even as a peer brother. 

And I could write a ton about the relationship between Elle and Reid. Not that I ever once thought they had any sort of romantic connection, but I loved those two together, and many of my favorite early season Reid moments were with Elle. 

[Penelope Garcia: Manic Pixie Baby Girl]

Here is the thing for me. At heart, Criminal Minds is a workplace drama. It is a show about professional people doing deadly serious work. And it's real work in the real world, not some fantasy, made-up job for a TV show. There are actual people out there right now doing this sort of thing for the FBI. And you can bet none of them are acting like Penelope, not even close.  So while occasional bits of humor are called for (and were used quite effectively in the past) to lighten the mood, people should still be acting professionally. And that is where Penelope currently falls short. She doesn't dress in any way professionally, and she works for a rigidly hierarchical organization with a dress code. I get some allowances, because of the nature of her work and how she was recruited, but she crossed those boundaries years ago. She doesn't act in ways that are professional. I was so glad that The Black Queen actually addressed those concerns at the beginning of the episode, but by the end, when they knew Shane made the anonymous complaint, they were back to their same old thing, like the writers were thumbing their noses at those of us with concerns. But they would not be able to get away with that sort of behavior on the job in a real organization with sexual harassment concerns. And after 10 years doing this work, she would not be acting so over the top when it comes to some of these cases. Again, it becomes more about her and her reaction, rather than her ability to do her job. 

As for the rest of her personality, it is just the sort of thing I personally would not respond to. In earlier years, she showed she was there with quiet empathy and support. I particularly liked her how she supported Reid during The Fisher King and Sex, Birth, and Death. She showed she was there for him and cared about him, but she didn't force her way into his life, nor did she make his problems about her.  Now she is butting her way into their personal lives and violating privacy, and frankly making other person's crises more about her (witness her egregious behavior in The Company, Magnificent Light, and many others). It's just that everything about Penelope has become outsized, and she doesn't seem like a real, professional person anymore. 

And since Abby from NCIS was mentioned, I have the exact same problem about her. She went from a smart and quirky forensics scientist, to a joke and a cartoon. She also doesn't seem like much of a real person anymore, and I am relieved when the show doesn't show her much. It's my personal issue with loud, extroverted personalities that I find emotionally exhausting. But it's also about the fact that both of them work in government jobs, and yet act like they are on the playground at times.